Two girls sexually assaulted at British sea retreat

London: Two minor girls have been sexually assaulted while playing at a popular beach in Brighton of southern England, police said.

The two separate attacks, which Sussex Police are treating as linked, took place on Sunday afternoon.

The victim of the first assault, a 16-year-old Swedish student, was groped after being approached by five men in the sea opposite the Metropole Hotel.

The 11-year-old was assaulted close to West Pier, when a man threw her in the air before grabbing and touching her. The girl somehow managed to swim away and alerted the lifeguards on the beach.

All the attackers have been described as of Asian appearance. The main suspect was described as an Asian man, with dark brown eyes, with short black hair and wearing white pants.

Police have carried out a search of the beach but the man could not be found.

"These two incidents happened near to each other and about half an hour apart. The two victims suffered a frightening ordeal and there must be witnesses as the beach and sea were packed with people as it was a hot sunny afternoon," said Detective Sergeant Emily Hoare.